Apparatus for and method of straightening disk wheels



Nov. 24,1925- 7 7 1,552,625

, c. FINKBEINER APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF STRAIGHTENING DISK WHEELS Filed Ana. 1?, 1923 IN VEN TOR.

W/ TWESSX" WWW-W Patented .Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

CHARLES FINKBEINEB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO BUDD WHEEL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF STRAIGHTENING DISK WHEELS.

- Application filed August 17, 1923. Serial No. 657,853.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEARLES FINK- BEINER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for and Method of.

use on automobiles are bent or buckled so.

that they Will no longer run true. It is important to provide some method of straightening such wheels so as to restore them to their normal shape. The usual method of straightening, by means of dies in a press, is slow and costly and requires equipment which is too expensive for the service station or garage. The. object of my present invention is to provide a method of straightening metal disk wheels which 1s cheap and quick anddoes not require elaborate or ex ensive equipment, so that it may be used e ectively by the smallest garages and service stations. I

Further objects, and objects relating to detail and economies of operation, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, I accomplish the objects of my invention by the method set forth in the following specification.

' My invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. In the single figure of the drawing, forming a part of this specificatioml have illustrated an appas ratus and its use in carryin out my improved method of straig tening disk wheels.

My invention consists in clamping the hub portion of the wheel on a suitable support and applying pressure to the periphery of the wheel in a direction parallel to its axis. The pressureis to be ap lied in the direction necessary to return the uckled or distorted portion "of the wheel to normal; that is, if a portion of the wheel is bent outwardly, the pressure is applied to the outer ed e of the rim, and, if the wheel is' buckled inwardly, the pressure is applied to the inner edge of the rim. In either case,

eter of the hub portion of the wheel.

the pressure is applied in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawing constitutes a convenient-means for carrying out my invention. This apparatus consists of a press, 10, having a table, 11, on which is mounted a block, 12, of about the diamthe upper surface of the block and the collar or washer, 13, fitting in said central open-. ing. The wheel is clamped on said table by the bolt, 14, passing through table, 11,

block, 12, washer, 13, and a clamping plate, 15, which engages the hub portion of the disk. The nut, 16, screwed on the end off bolt, 14, clamps the disk between the block, 12, and plate, 15. r The disk wheel, 21, is shown clamped in the press by the means just described." Itis to be noted that the wheel is clampbd at the hub portion and the rest of the disk is free, The dotted lines indicate, at 22, a part of the disk which has been bent or buckled from its normal shape. In this particular instance, the wheel is buckled outwardl and the pressure is applied to the outer e go of the wheel rim, 24, bymcans of ram, 17 having a rack, 18, meshing with a pinion, 19, which is rotated by the handle, 20. It is to be noted that the axis of block, 12, is parallel to the line of travel of ram, 17. This is important because the pressure should be applied to the periphery of the wheel in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel.

The operator clamps the wheel at the hub portion of the disk, for instance, by the clampin bolt and late on the table of the press. erotatest edisk to bring abuckled portion in line with the ram, 17, and a plies pressure at such point by means of t e ram. This is repeated at the buckled points and peripheral pressure appliedin a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel to bring back to normal the part-s buckled in the opposite direction.

I am aware that the method described may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, there fore, I claim my invention broadly,'as inclicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A machine of the character described comprising an arbor press having a horizontal base and an overhanging portion, said base having a portion extending forwardly therefrom; a vertically extending ram mounted on said over-hanging portion adapted for reciprocatory movement toward and from said base, a wheel center clamp secured to the outer end of said forwardly extending portion of the base adapted to clamp a wheel in a substantially horizontal plane whereby to present the rim thereof between said rain and said base and operating means for said ram mounted on said over-hanging portion.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a press having a horizontally extending base, a member disposed above said base and extending substantially parallel thereto, a vertically extending ram mounted on said member adapted for relative movement with respect to said base a wheel center clamp secured to said base adapted to clamp a wheel in a substantially horizontal plane whereby to present the rim thereof between said ram and base thereof at an elevation considerably above said base, and operating means for effecting relative movement between said ram and said base. i

Y 3. The method of straightening distorted disk wheels in which the central portions of the disk are provided with trued faces for alignment and clamping of the disk fiat-wise 011 the wheel hub flange, which method consists in supporting the wheel from its trued central portion with the porticn exterior to said trued portion extending laterally free of the support, clamping in a fixed plane and rigidly against distortion substantially the entire area eon'iprehended by said trued faces for engagement with the wheel hub flange, and while the wheel is so clamped directing bending pressures on the distorted free portions of said wheel on lines substantially parallel to the wheel axis.

l. The method of straightening distorted metallic diskvwheels, which method consists in supporting the eentral portions of said wheels in a substantially horizontal plane with the outer peripheral portions thereof extending laterally free of the support, clamping rigidly against distortion substantially the entire area comprehended by said central portion, and applying a pressure upon the distorted free portions of said wheels in directions substantially parallel to the wheel axis until the distorted portions of the wheel are bent sufiiciently to give a per manent set in the normal plane upon the release of the applied pressure.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CHARLES FlNKBElNET-i. 

